Zebaldt Ngaruka
The chairperson of Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) team Okahandja United, Johannes Congo Hindjou, stated that the availability of sports grounds in the Garden Town is fuelling his team’s preparations for the new season.
He shared with New Era Sport that Okahandja is blessed with excellent stadiums, such as Nau-Aib and Liverpool stadiums, which attract teams from Windhoek and beyond for their pre-season training.
He emphasised that “Okahandja United is advantaged, as it has cut travel costs. This is to our team’s advantage. A lot of costs have been saved, and our players are playing every weekend, which helps the technical team gauge their performance. Our pitches are well-looked after – thanks to the municipality’s efforts”.
He noted that the friendly games have been beneficial, allowing the team to experiment with different strategies, and fostering camaraderie among players, without added pressure.
When asked about the team’s targets for the upcoming season, he expressed hope for an improved position, as they finished eighth last season.
“We want to compete well – even though we may not have the financial strength to challenge the top teams for the title. We still aim to give them a good fight,” he said.
Regarding the league’s delay, Hindjou stated that the blame should not solely fall on the league’s authority.
“This involves all of us who are part of this league. Instead of pointing fingers, we need to come together and hope that the association gets a positive response from the sponsor,” he stated.
He urged football leadership to work hard to kick off the season, emphasising the need for clubs in the top-tier league to support their efforts.
“We cannot just sit on the sidelines and criticise our leaders.
We need to push together to make football happen,” he urged.